Sink and Float -
Water
Science for Preschools
Sink and Float is probably the simplest and most known water
experiment. Water is essential for life on earth. Without it no
creatures or plants could survive. I included in this section
everything preschoolers need to
know about the properties of water as well as some easy hands on experiments.
Regardless if it is in front of the kitchen sink, in the bath or
outside after a rainy day, I encourage you to simply give your children
lots of water T.I.M.E.
Property
1: Water can change its form.
Depending
on temperature, water can turn from liquid to solid ice and from liquid
to steam (gas). 
Experiments:
Turn water into ice cubes -
Let the children touch the water as a liquid. Is it cold? wet?
dry? What does it feel like as ice? Compare the two.
Boil
water
- Put a pot cover over a boiling water pot. Remove the cover and let it
cool for a couple of minutes. Notice how it has water drops on it? The
steam turned to liquid again.
 Property
2: Water can change shapes.
Since water is a liquid it takes the form of whatever object it is
in.
Experiments:
Glasses
and Water
- Take a variety of glasses (shapes and sizes). Place the same amount
of water in each. Ask the children which glass has more? Pour one glass
at a time into a measuring cup and show the children that all glasses
had the same quantity of water.
 Property
3: Water sticks to itself.
Use wax paper to show
children how a drop of water stays together like a ball.
Experiments:
- Put
a sheet of wax paper under the faucet. Remove it. Is the wax paper wet?
NO! The wax on the paper does not let the paper absorb the water.
- Put
a couple of drops on the wax paper. Can you roll them off?
Property
4: Water sticks to other objects.
Use
a regular piece of paper to teach the children how water sticks
together.
Experiments:
- Fill a cup with water.
- Place one end of the strip
of paper inside the water and hold the other end.
- The water travels up the
paper because it sticks to it!
Does
water stick to you??
It
actually does! That's why your fingers are all wrinkled when you soak
in a bath.
Property 5: Water flows.
Since
water is able to
stick together, it can flow. Did you know that water always flows to
the lowest point available? This is why we have puddles and why all
river flow to the ocean.
Sink and
Float
Let
children experiment with a variety of objects such as: Coins, toys,
paper (crumpled up or not), craisins and raisins, wood and leaves and
so on.
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